CHENNAI: Following opposition from the public, Poonamallee municipality has reduced operation in a compost yard built close to the local bus terminus.
The compost yard was set up to process biodegradable waste to reduce the quantum of waste dumped in the municipality's yard along Chennai-Vellore Highway.
Questioning the logic behind the setting up of waste compost yard at a spot frequented by many people daily, local shopkeepers said the stench was so unbearable that it affected their businesses."People stopped coming to my vegetable shop because of the smell and its proximity to a compost yard," said K Arumugam.
The municipality took note of the issue only after a group of lawyers from the adjacent court opposed the composting operation by staging a protest in March.
"Whenever a fresh load of biodegradable waste arrived, the situation would turn horrible," said a security personnel at the court.
While the protest by lawyers reduced the quantum of composting, locals fear that in time, the facility will resume composting at full capacity.
"We only bring biodegradable waste collected by tricycles to the facility close to the bus terminus now," said a senior official in Poonamallee Municipality.
When Express visited the facility, it found a few pits of compost in the final stages. "Some conservancy workers came here last week to sprinkle some water, but did not bring a fresh load of waste," said an official in the bus terminus.
Officials in the municipality said a major chunk of composting operation happens at the crematorium nearby, but did not mention whether the facility at the bus stop would be shut if they got more complaints.
"One location is not enough for composting the domestic waste of the entire municipality," said a municipality official, explaining that the temporary reduction in operations in the facility at the bus terminus has tangible consequences.
This was evident in the disposal of fresh biodegradable waste in the municipality's smouldering landfill along the Chennai-Vellore Highway.
"We don't have the luxury of looking for isolated locations like the crematorium," the official said, downplaying the health hazards and the stench emanating from the compost yard.